Tuesday, 31 July 2012

I've decided to attempt to sew this pattern, Vogue 1287, a DKNY number...

I've read a number of reviews of this pattern and it has made me a little nervous of beginning it but I guess you need to have a challenge for the summer holidays!
The main problem for me is the sizing (quelle suprise), its described as "very loose fitting" but I don't want to look like I'm wearing a tent. The smallest size on the pattern is an 8 which has a finished bust measurement of 41" which is 9" bigger than my actual bust, too loose in my opinion. So I've decided to size it down to roughly a 4 which should hopefully take it down to 39" or smaller.
Looking at the pattern piece for the bodice front I wasn't entirely sure how to achieve this as I didn't want to mess up the pleating. Then I noticed that all the small and large circles fell in line so following this pattern seemed the way forward. Each circle was 8mm (give or take) apart so I measured 16mm from the last circle in each line and marked it.
Mr B took a picture for me...

Then I joined up the dots and drew across the top...

I also took 1/2" off each of the side seams front and back.
I'm going to use some cheap, light-weight jersey that I bought a while ago so if it all goes horribly wrong I won't have lost much.

Hopefully the combination of stretch fabric and crazy print will disguise any bodging that might occur!

Thursday, 26 July 2012

Its the summer holidays! The weather has perked up and Mr B and I have been making the most of it. Last night we went to see Murder on the Nile at the Tyne Theatre. A trip to the theatre in my mind requires a new outfit so at the weekend I set about making a dressy top for the occasion.
I've had Simplicity 2599 in my pattern stash for ages and this seemed the best choice for a quick make.
I decided to make view E, with neck ruffle and bow, but add the sleeves form view A/B. I bought some blue satin and a button to cover.

According to the envelope I'm a size 10 bust but looking at the finished garment measurements I decided to cut a 6 (never ever cut without checking the finished measurements). It didn't mention, anywhere that I could find, the finished measurement for the lower edge so I cut it to an 8 below the waist just in case. It was very straightforward and fairly quick to make.

I'm especially pleased with the button loop and button-don't know why. I've folded the ruffle back for the photo above, you don't see the button when its on.
If I was going to make this again I'd try and move the bust darts up, I think they're about 1-2" to low, but apart from that I think its worked out really well.
Murder on the Nile was really good, success all round!

Sunday, 8 July 2012

Its been a trying few weeks...an evil summer cold, busy busy at work...But I've made it, and in fact I've made Vogue 1271.It was the Sixth Form Leavers' Ball coming up and I bought some lovely mocha coloured satin to make the dress in. And then disaster strikes, a head full of snot, I won't go in to detail but suffice to say cutting out and sewing were definitely off the cards. I'd resolved to recycle a dress from a few years back. Then I started getting asked what I was going to be wearing, "you always make such beautiful dresses" and I was tempted even though there was only a week to go. Mr B sealed it when he expressed the opinion that I could just "beast it over the weekend".
I've made a Vogue Kay Unger dress before (V1241) and had a small disaster with the sizing of the skirt so I was a bit nervous about the sizing for this one.

This wasn't helped by the fact that even though the style is similar the sizing seems to be on a different scale. I cut an 8 bust, 10 waist, 12 hip, added 3 inches to the skirt length and hoped for the best.
It all came together remarkably smoothly, although I have no idea what the twill tape was for so I just missed that out, and the fit is really good. The construction is really clever and only marred by the fact that in my rush I'd cut the skirt lining pieces the wrong way round so I was left with lots of raw edges that I couldn't finish off properly. But I only had an hour left so I decided that as I was just going to be sat down most of the evening I would just hope no-one noticed.
So here it is.

I'm really glad I cut it a bit longer than the pattern said. I missed the belt detail off as I couldn't find anything at short notice to use as the buckle. Aren't the sleeves brilliant?

I have vowed never to make anything in such a rush again, but the compliments made it worth it - vanity, vanity....